Google Suffers Another Nexus One Setback

OVERLAND PARK, KAN. — Carriers
supporting online sales of the Nexus
One smartphone through Google’s online
store will be limited for now to AT&T
and T-Mobile now that Sprint changed
its mind about letting Google sell a version
of the phone for use on the Sprint
network.

Earlier this year, Google also promised
to sell a version activated on the
Verizon Wireless network, but Google
later dropped that plan, and a Verizon
spokesperson later told TWICE that
the carrier never publicly stated that it
would allow Google to act as an authorized
agent to sell the device with activation
and carrier subsidy.

Sprint, on the other hand, had publicly
stated it would permit Google to
sell a Sprint-network version with activation,
but now, a spokesperson said,
“We changed our mind given the overwhelming
response to (the planned
3G/4G HTC-made) Evo and its impressive
list of features.” Like the Nexus
One, the Evo runs on Google’s Android
2.1 smartphone OS.

The HTC Evo 4G is expected to be
available exclusively from Sprint this
summer.

Earlier this year, Google launched its
Nexus One versions for the T-Mobile
and AT&T networks, offering them activated
on the networks or as unlocked
models without carrier subsidy.